Innovative packaging from vine shoots: a circular economy solution based on cellulosic aerogels for the wine industry...

Highly porous, lightweight aerogels were developed based on cellulose extracted via industrial Kraft treatments from vine shoot (S) with the aim of valorising a currently generated waste and eucalyptus (EU) to reduce seasonality. In order to enhance their hydrophobicity and mechanical resistance, a poly-lactic acid (PLA) coating was applied through two different methodologies: spray- and pipette-coating. The resulting materials presented low densities (23-80 kg/m³) with improved mechanical performance, revealing a notable augment in compressive strength after PLA coating (up to 20-fold increase, reaching 1.54 N/cm²), while maintaining low thermal conductivity values around 0.0305 W/mK. These results highlight the potential of the developed aerogels as sustainable and biodegradable protective packaging for wine bottles, offering a balance between thermal insulation, mechanical performance, and circular economy benefits.